GAL 3:3 Interlinear View

SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 3:1–14: We are justified by believing, not by obeying the law

In this section, Paul contrasted “doing” and “believing.” He began by rebuking the Galatians because they had forgotten something. They had forgotten that they had been made right with God (justified) and had received the Holy Spirit by believing. They should not then begin to do/obey the law to be made right with God.

Being made right with God (justification) has always been an issue of believing. Abraham himself was justified because he believed. People who are Abraham’s children are those who believe. They are the ones who are blessed. People who try to be made right with God by obeying the law are cursed, because no one can obey the entire law.

Paul wanted the Galatians to change their ways. He was convinced that if they thought about their actions and understood the truth, they would change.

Some other examples for a heading for this section are:

Justification by Law or by Faith? (NET)

Law or Faith

Paragraph 3:1–5

This paragraph contains the strongest rebuke in the book of Galatians. (It is perhaps the strongest rebuke in the whole New Testament.) Paul rebuked the Galatians using several rhetorical questions. He used these rhetorical questions to tell the Galatians that he was very unhappy with them. He was unhappy because they had turned away from believing/trusting in Christ.

3:3

Before you translate 3:3a–c, there are three issues to consider:

Issue 1: The number of sentences

In Greek, 3:3a–c is one sentence. This whole sentence is a rhetorical question. In some languages, it may be possible to translate this Greek sentence as one sentence. For example:

^aAre you foolish enough to think that ^bafter you began by the Spirit, ^cyou can finish by the flesh?

All English versions translate 3:3a as a separate rhetorical question. These versions then translate 3:3b–c as one or two additional sentences. (Examples are given in the Notes on 3:3a–c below.) In many languages, it will probably be natural to also translate 3:3a–c as two or three sentences.

Issue 2: The contrasting parallels

Notice that there are two parallels in this verse. These parallels contrast. The first contrasting parallels are “starting” and “finishing.” They are underlined below:

After starting in the Spirit, are you now finishing in the flesh?

The second contrasting parallels are “with the Spirit” and “with the flesh.” They are underlined below.

After starting in the Spirit, are you now finishing in the flesh?

It is good to recognize these contrasting parallels even if you cannot translate them literally in your language.

Issue 3: The order of the clauses

In some languages, it may be more natural to change the order of these clauses. For example:

^3bAfter starting with the Spirit, ^3ait’s foolish ^3cto attempt to finish by human effort.

^3bYou began your life in Christ by the Spirit. ^3cNow are you trying to make it complete by your own power? ^3aThat is foolish. (NCV)

3:3a

Are you so foolish?

Are you mad/crazy?
Why are you so foolish?
Don’t be so foolish!

Are you so foolish?: This is a rhetorical question. Paul used this rhetorical question to rebuke the Galatians for being foolish.

Some ways to translate this rebuke are:

As a rhetorical question. For example:
Why are you so foolish?
Are you mad/crazy?
As a tag question. For example:
You are not that foolish, are you?
As an exclamation. For example:
You should not be so foolish!
As a command. For example:
Do not be so foolish!

Use whichever form is most natural in your language to express a rebuke.

foolish: This is the same word that Paul used in 3:1a. You should translate it in the same way.

3:3b

After starting in the Spirit,

You^(plur) began with the Holy Spirit.
You started to live for Christ when you^(plur) received the Holy Spirit.
You began your life as Christians by receiving the Holy Spirit, did you not?

Verse 3:3b is the beginning of a rhetorical question that ends in 3:3c.

After starting in the Spirit: The phrase in the Spirit is another way of saying “receive the Spirit” in 3:2b. Paul reminded the Galatians that their lives in Christ began when they received the Holy Spirit.

Some ways to translate this clause are:

As the first part of the sentence that continues in 3:3c. For example:
After beginning with the Spirit (NIV)
After starting your Christian lives in the Spirit (NLT)
As a separate sentence. For example:
You began your life in Christ by the Spirit. (NCV)
You received the Holy Spirit when you started to follow Jesus.
As a separate rhetorical question. In this part of the rhetorical question of 3:3b–c, Paul emphasized that the Galatians had begun their Christian lives with the Holy Spirit. For example:
You began your life as Christians with the Spirit, did you not?

the Spirit: As in 3:2b, the word Spirit here means the “Holy Spirit.”

3:3c

are you now finishing in the flesh?

Do you now want to finish with/using your own strength/effort?
Now, do not try to use your own power/strength to finish/end.
Why do you finish by trying to use your own strength?

are you now finishing in the flesh?: Before you translate 3:3c, there are two issues to consider:

Issue 1: The interpretation issue

There are two ways to interpret the Greek word that the BSB translates as finishing:

It means the finish or end of their lives either by death or Christ’s return. The idea of finishing here contrasts with the idea of “starting” in 3:3b. According to this interpretation, Paul asked the Galatians, “Are you now going to change from the way you began your Christian life and use your own efforts to continue until the end?” For example:
are you now trying to finish by human effort? (NET) (BSB, NIV11, NET, RSV, GNT, NJB)
It means to perfect and refers to the Galatians adding something to their spiritual lives to become perfect. For example:
why are you now trying to become perfect by your own human effort? (NLT) (ESV, NLT, NASB, REB, KJV)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). The thought here is similar to Philippians 1:6, which says, “He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” (BSB)

Issue 2: The rhetorical question

Paul again used a rhetorical question to rebuke the Galatians. He wanted them to realize that it made no sense to begin by/with the Spirit and then change to their own strength. They were foolish to try to live their Christian life in the flesh.

Some ways to translate this rebuke are:

As a rhetorical question. For example:
do you now want to finish by your own power? (GNT)
Do you think that you can finish with your own strength?
As a statement. For example:
Now you are foolishly trying to finish/end by your own effort.
As a command. For example:
Do not be so foolish as to try to finish by your own strength.

Use whichever form is most natural in your language to express a rebuke.

in the flesh: The phrase in the flesh is another way of saying “by obeying the law.” It refers to people trying to save themselves by their own human effort. This phrase contrasts with “by the Spirit” (in 3:3b).

Some other ways to translate this phrase are:

by your own actions

because of your own efforts

using your own strength/power

For more information, see flesh, Meaning 5 in the Glossary.

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / rquestion

οὕτως ἀνόητοί ἐστε

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Οὕτως ἀνόητοι ἐστέ Ἐναρξάμενοι Πνεύματι νῦν σαρκί ἐπιτελεῖσθε)

Paul is not asking for information, but is using the question form to emphatically express his surprise. If you would not use a rhetorical question for this purpose in your language, you could translate his words as a statement or an exclamation and communicate the emphasis in another way. Alternate translation: [You are very foolish!] or [Don’t be so foolish!] or [Surely you cannot be so foolish!]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / rquestion

ἐναρξάμενοι Πνεύματι, νῦν σαρκὶ ἐπιτελεῖσθε

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Οὕτως ἀνόητοι ἐστέ Ἐναρξάμενοι Πνεύματι νῦν σαρκί ἐπιτελεῖσθε)

Paul is not asking for information, but is using the question form to guide the Galatian believers thinking about what they are doing. If you would not use a rhetorical question for this purpose in your language, you could translate his words as a statement or an exclamation and communicate the emphasis in another way.

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / ellipsis

ἐναρξάμενοι

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Οὕτως ἀνόητοι ἐστέ Ἐναρξάμενοι Πνεύματι νῦν σαρκί ἐπιτελεῖσθε)

Paul is leaving out some of the words that a sentence would need in many languages to be complete. If it would be helpful in your language, you could supply these words from the context. Alternate translation: [Having begun the Christian life] or [Having begun your new relationship with God]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

σαρκὶ

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Οὕτως ἀνόητοι ἐστέ Ἐναρξάμενοι Πνεύματι νῦν σαρκί ἐπιτελεῖσθε)

Paul is describing the actions people do while in their body by association with their body, which he calls flesh. Here, flesh refers to a reliance on one’s own effort in doing outward deeds and doing these actions with a self-sufficient and self-reliant trust in them instead of trusting in God. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use plain language. Alternate translation: [by your own effort]

OET-LV English word order (‘Reverse’ interlinear)

Note: The OET-RV is still only a first draft, and so far only a few words have been (mostly automatically) matched to the Hebrew or Greek words that they’re translated from.

Acknowledgements: The SR Greek text, lemmas, morphology, and VLT gloss are all thanks to the CNTR.

OET interlinear GAL 3:3

SR Greek word order (including unused variant words in grey)

Section 3:1–14: We are justified by believing, not by obeying the law

Paragraph 3:1–5

3:3

3:3a

3:3b

3:3c

OET-LV English word order (‘Reverse’ interlinear)